Authors

Campus Units

Document Type

Publication Version

Accepted Manuscript

Publication Date

11-1-2012

Journal or Book Title

Qualitative Research reports in Communication

Volume

13

Issue

1

First Page

53

Last Page

62

DOI

10.1080/17459435.2012.719209

Abstract

In the current study the authors investigate victims' response to a natural disaster crisis event. Crisis communication research has often considered organizations, but neglected the voice of the victims. Similarly, most crisis research emphasizes the negative outcomes of crisis. Positive communication research and sensemaking theory provide insight into the experiences of crisis victims. Twenty-nine individuals were interviewed from one community in Western Kentucky following a massive ice storm that occurred during January 2009. The remembering emphasis of sensemaking was salient in this study. Victims remembered their overall experience through positive terms and positive interpersonal communication. Communities and organizations alike can use this research to consider how their members may respond to crises and create messages based on these results.